🌱 ODU Receives Award + Norfolk Hospital Capacity Update

Hello, neighbors! It's me again, Sean Peek, your host of the Norfolk Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Turning cloudy. High: 68 Low: 59.

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Here are the top stories in Norfolk today:

1. Old Dominion University received the 2021 ALL IN Gold Seal Campus Award for its efforts to encourage voter engagement in the 2020 presidential election. Last year's presidential election engaged the largest and most diverse group of college students in U.S. history, according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) (odu.edu)
2. State health officials in Virginia reported to the federal government Dec. 16 that approximately 79 percent of inpatient beds and 75 percent of ICU beds in hospitals across the state were occupied. Around 8 percent of inpatient beds and 10 percent of ICU beds statewide were filled by COVID-19 patients, they reported. (Norfolk Patch)
3. Want to add a furry ball of four-legged love and affection to your family and make a positive impact on the Norfolk community at the same time? Then you should consider adopting a dog, cat, or other animals from a local shelter or organization. Many animal shelters in the Norfolk area are still working to find forever homes for dozens of cats, dogs, and other adorable critters. (Norfolk Patch)

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Today in Norfolk:

• Songwriter's Showcase - Saturday Dec. 18th At Unity Church Of Tidewater (9:00 AM)
• Weyanoke Monthly Nature Walk At Cape Henry Audubon Society (8:00 AM)
• 20/30 Writers Club At The Muse Writers Center (1:00 PM)
• The Dinner Detective Comedy Murder Mystery Dinner Show At Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront (6:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Next month (January, 2022) is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month in the U.S.! It is a key time for our League to raise awareness and prevent trafficking in our community. (Instagram)

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More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Songwriter's Showcase - Saturday Dec. 18th @ Unity Church of Tidewater (December 18)
• Brighten The First Day Of Winter With 15 Percent Off FTD's Sunniest Blooms (December 21)
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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you soon!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.